leaders

Branding the sanctions “untimely and counterproductive,” politicians aligned with the Mouvement Sauvons la RDC — a movement co-founded by Joseph Kabila — condemned the measures, warning they could deepen the country’s protracted crisis. The pushback from the opposition comes as diplomatic efforts gather pace to tackle the conflict in eastern DR Congo, with parallel tracks seeking to address both the regional dynamics and the internal drivers of instability.

Thursday May 7, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag, held talks with Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, on Wednesday during an official visit to Ouagadougou. Fartaag carried a message from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, signaling Mogadishu’s push to deepen ties with Burkina Faso and widen cooperation on security matters. According to Somali officials, the discussions focused on building a joint security framework to confront common threats from…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOWednesday May 6, 2026 Muslim Religious leaders drawn from SUPKEM during the meeting. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO Religious leaders in Northeastern are sounding the alarm over what they describe as a “silent epidemic” of HIV and AIDS, calling for immediate, coordinated action to confront a health challenge they say is spreading under the weight of stigma and denial. The warning came during a high-level meeting in Garissa convened by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) in collaboration with the…

Somali opposition leaders meet in Mogadishu to discuss alternative electoral model MOGADISHU — Somali opposition leaders have convened in Mogadishu to weigh a proposed indirect voting system, a move that would steer the country away from both the 2022 electoral arrangement and the “one person, one vote” model championed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. People familiar with the talks said the opposition is working to shape a compromise electoral formula that could later be put before international mediators involved in…

by STEPHEN ASTARIKOSunday May 3, 2026 Residents of Mwingi barricade the Busy Nairobi-Garissa road in Mwingi town./STEPHEN ASTARIKO Leaders from Garissa are urging restraint as insecurity continues to stir fear and deepen friction between communities in Garissa and Kitui counties. The unrest has already begun to choke trade, disrupt travel and strain livelihoods across the region. On Monday, bus operators suspended services on the Garissa–Mwingi–Nairobi route after a string of attacks and rising tension between pastoralists…

Friday May 1, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — In a show of broad support, the Hawadle Community Unity and Development Council held a senior-level meeting in Mogadishu on Thursday, drawing leaders and representatives from across the community. The session brought together government ministers, members of parliament, politicians, traditional elders, scholars, business figures, as well as youth and women representatives. Among those in attendance was the Hawadle community’s traditional chief, Ugaas Yusuf Ugaas Hassan Ugaas Khaliif. The…

In a gathering that could signal a shift in Liberia's political landscape, opposition leaders convened at the private residence of former President George M. Weah for the reburial ceremony of his late father. This event was attended by notable figures, including Senator Amara Konneh, a prominent supporter of the ruling Unity Party, alongside other influential lawmakers. The ceremony unfolded against a backdrop of growing discontent with the government, particularly in light of its recent demolition operations, soaring…

Ben SmeeSunday April 26, 2026 A night meant to celebrate Washington’s political press corps was abruptly thrown into chaos when gunfire broke out outside the White House correspondents dinner, prompting global concern and swift condemnation from world leaders. US president Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, officials and journalists were hurried out of the ballroom at the Washington Hilton on Saturday after shots were heard from the hotel lobby. An armed man later tried to force his way into the event. Canadian prime…

Sunday April 26, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Saturday attended the inauguration of Murusade sub-clan traditional chief Ugaas Abdirisaq Ugaas Abdullahi in Mogadishu, joining opposition leaders and traditional elders at the ceremony. The gathering brought together a wide range of figures from across Somali regions, among them government officials, opposition representatives and customary leaders, underscoring the event’s broader national weight. Hassan Sheikh…

Amnesty International has accused the leaders of the United States, Israel and Russia of driving a new "predatory" world order, warning that too few governments are willing to challenge them. Presenting the rights group's annual report in London, Secretary General Dr Agnès Callamard singled out US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, branding them "predators". According to the report, such leaders have turned away from the multilateral framework built after…